Addleshaw Goddard has again been recognised for its leadership on workplace gender equality by being named in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2017.

The Times Top 50 Employers for Women is published in partnership with Business in the Community, the Prince’s Responsible Business Network, as part of the charity’s Responsible Business Week.

The alphabetical and unranked list acknowledges UK employers that are making gender equality a key part of their business strategy, with consistent commitment to creating inclusive workplace cultures and progressing women in the workplace that covers their entire organisation at all levels. The list involves a comprehensive submission process managed by the gender equality campaign of Business in the Community.

The firm's retained position in The Times Top 50 list is testament to its established and innovative female-development programmes, and the targets in place to drive greater diversity at senior levels. Since its launch in 2012, the firm's 'Flourish' programme has successfully helped over 250 women, through a comprehensive programme of training and networking, developing the expertise to progress to the most senior levels. The firm has a target for female partners of 30%, to achieve by 2019. Currently, 25% of the partnership are female, as are 2 of the 4 Divisional Managing Partners. In terms of lawyers, over 50% of them are female.

Further to this, AG's 'Returner Programme' continues to support women who have been out of the legal profession for an extended period and are looking to re-enter, and was shortlisted in the 'Best Diversity Initiative' category at The Lawyer Business Leadership Awards 2016. This is complemented by the firm's progressive approach to flexible working, with a shared parental leave package which mirrors the enhanced pay offered to maternity leavers, further supported by a wide range of agile working arrangements, from term-time working to home working to reduced hours.

Justine Delroy, Partner and programme sponsor, commented: "Gender equality is at the heart of what we do as a business, and we continually strive to create an inclusive environment for all. We are immensely proud to have been able to support many of our talented female employees, and to be once again named in the Times Top 50 Employers for Women list."

Kathryn Nawrockyi, Gender Equality Director, Business in the Community, said: "Well done to Addleshaw Goddard on being named in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2017 – the process was highly competitive so they should be very proud of their success. Their efforts are increasing understanding of the barriers to equality that women face at work, and I hope other employers will follow their lead."

Emma Tucker, deputy editor of The Times, says: "In the seven years since The Times first published the Top 50 Employers for Women supplement we have seen great advances towards gender equality in the workplace. However, more remains to be done both in the boardroom and on the shop floor and we are again delighted to support Business in the Community's campaign to create a fairer and better working environment for women."

The full list of The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2017 can be found here